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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 09-01-2012, 07:47 PM
nb11b nb11b is offline
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The business end in 1095 and Rosewood

1095, mild steel and copper, Honduran rosewood and 550 cord
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  #2  
Old 09-01-2012, 08:09 PM
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Looks like a lot of work there, congratulations! The next step would be to test the devil out of it assuming this is the first of this design you've made and you haven't tested it before. As pretty as it is, until it's tested it only looks like a knife. I'd be particularly interested to learn how that handle design performs for you ...


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  #3  
Old 09-04-2012, 03:56 PM
nb11b nb11b is offline
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I'm going to have a friend of mine take it to Afghanistan to test it for me.... He asked if he could, and I figured its the best proving ground...
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  #4  
Old 09-04-2012, 04:38 PM
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Well, maybe, but probably not. Depends on exactly what he does with it. If he's like most people with a new custom knife you'll be lucky if he even pries open a crate with it much less doing any heavy cutting. No matter what he does with it the information will be second hand to you. If you really want to know what you built then you need to test it yourself (or one like it)....


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  #5  
Old 09-04-2012, 05:08 PM
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Ray has given you some most excellent advice. What if that guy really needs to do a crucial chore with that knife, and it breaks, or otherwise fails. A mention of 1095 with a beginner always gets my attention. It is few and far between with beginners getting the HT right. Very few.

Last edited by WBE; 09-04-2012 at 05:13 PM.
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Old 09-04-2012, 07:25 PM
nb11b nb11b is offline
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Ah, now I'm following... Sorry for being dense... It hadn't occurred to me to put it through a test like the ABS tests for grade. I will try this.
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  #7  
Old 09-04-2012, 08:03 PM
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The first 1095 blade I made was a 7" bowie style, sure looked good. Had a clever design on the handle too, something I just came up with. So, out to the woods I went. On the second swing while chopping through a 1" green limb the blade snapped neatly in half. Funny thing was, I hadn't done the HT myself, it was done by a big name HT expert but he didn't normally work with 1095. As WBE said, 1095 is the best choice for a knife that will be sent into the field untested.

So, I made three more knives like it but used a different steel that I HTed myself. Blades held up fine this time if you overlook the part where two of them separated from the handle. Ya, I really needed to re-design that handle attachment.

If I was your friend in the sandbox I don't think I'd want to be having that experience or anything like it with an untested knife ....


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Old 09-04-2012, 08:24 PM
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AUBE AUBE is offline
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Looks good.

I'm wondering if you sealed the cord with resin? Some makers prefer to not seal the cord but I've found with that style of wrap the cord tends to stretch and come loose with use. Of course the downside is you can't remove the cord once its sealed with resin....
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  #9  
Old 09-04-2012, 09:05 PM
nb11b nb11b is offline
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Mr. Rogerand WBE, this is something I am willing to do. I am certainly familiar with the failure side of nice looking tools. Regarding the testing of smaller knives, how best to test a knife? Most of the stuff I can find, I.e. ABS testing for journeyman, seems geared to larger knives. For example what trials would you suggest for a five inch blade or shorter? Prying, cutting. And stabbing make sense, but chopping not so much. Are there testing procedures I've missed? Also, to what level do you recommend finishing a knife to, for testing purposes? Should I test every knife rigorously? I apologize if these sound naive.

Aube, I did not coat the 550 cord, but I'm going to look into it a little more. That sounds like a solid way to go, on a wrapped handle. Is there any type of resin you recommend?
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Old 09-04-2012, 09:27 PM
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Test the knife in ways appropriate to the size and intended usage of the knife but go further too because, someday, someone will have to. With that knife, I'd shave a 2x4 until there was nothing but spliners. That will tell you how the edge holds up and also how that handle works. I fully expect that wrap to come loose, the handle shape to be uncomfortable and burn blisters into your hand. May not happen that way, but if it does you'll surely want to reconsider the design - and you most surely wouldn't want that to happen to the man in the field (they have enough problems already). As Jason suggested, resin or epoxy would keep the wrap from unwrapping but it still might break down if you don't put some twists in that cording (that's why sword hilts have that twist in the wrap).

Cut some rope, dice it up, try hemp and nylon. These are things the knife might need to do in the military. That will tell you something about your edge geometry (does it slide off the rope?).

A knife is not a pry bar but we all know that it will get used that way sooner or later. Make it sooner - put the first inch of the blade in a big vise between two pieces of thin wood, put a pipe on the handle and safety glasses on your eyes and see how easily the blade will snap. Obviously, you don't do this on every knife. This is why you need to make sure your heat treatment is very consistent. If the blade is tough and hard to break and you absolutely needed the pipe (no way it could have been done by hand) and the exposed grain looks good then your HT is about right. When you are sure you can get that same result every time you can stop breaking the blades made with that batch of steel. New batch, start over. This is especially true with 1095, it can be very inconsistent batch to batch and from different suppliers.

Sure, you can stab stuff too, that blade looks like it's made for stabbing but that proves very little. Any pointy thing will stab fairly well. Doesn't say much about the HT or the edge. Remember, we're trying to insure that the knife will do everything that it could reasonably and even unreasonably be asked to do. People, especially military people, don't always get to use their tools in the 100% approved manner and it's up to you to be sure you're ahead of the curve on that situation ...


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Old 09-04-2012, 09:35 PM
nb11b nb11b is offline
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I've certainly found myself in that situation, having been infantry for the majority of my military career. I very much appreciate the advice, and will certainly test the knife, before it goes out. I hate surprises, and want my knives to function well under duress. As there is always a possibility that it will be the difference between life and death, I see the necessity of this process.

I will put this through some testing and post my results...
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  #12  
Old 09-05-2012, 11:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nb11b View Post

Aube, I did not coat the 550 cord, but I'm going to look into it a little more. That sounds like a solid way to go, on a wrapped handle. Is there any type of resin you recommend?

Epoxy resin is typically the best way to go. Even the low end stuff like Devcon (sold at Home Depot, Walmart, etc) works fine on the wrap as long as you get it pushed down in the fibers.

Polyester resin can be used too but it opens up room for problems. Unlike epoxy, polyester resin remains sticky on the surface unless you use tack remover or add surfacing wax to the resin. Plus epoxy is typically stronger than polyester resin. The one potential advantage that polyester resin has is it contains styrene and during curing the styrene evaporates which causes shrinkage. With wrapped handles the remaining polyester tends to suck down into the wrap. Which makes for a very dry looking wrap. Some people desire a really glossy, obviously resin soaked handle, some want as little indication of resin being applied as possible.

But in short....go with epoxy unless you have a reason not to. Typically stronger, and easy to use. The main thing to do is really push the resin into the cord and between layers. If your local stores carry it try the slow cure Loctite brand resin that comes in the syringe.
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Old 09-06-2012, 06:21 AM
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I'd use it to open a few cans as well as all the other testing Ray has mentioned. Most "deployed" knives see alot of duty opening cans and "assisting" riptop canisters. Kills the tip on most knives......how badly is the question. A good one will easily be recoverable/rejuvinated. A poor one usually either breaks off or bends....not desirable. Heattreat and edge geometry make the difference.

Trouble with sending one out without testing is the guy you give it to will probably not "honest-up" as to it's true performance because it's a gift. That's the nature of man.


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